SAFETY

[noun] [U]a state in which or a place where you are safe and not in danger or at riskWith no thought for his own safety, he ran into the burning building to save the child.For your (comfort and) safety, we recommend you keep your seat belt loosely fastened during the flight.Journalists may enter the danger zone but unfortunately we cannot guarantee/assure their safety.Refugees should be allowed to return in safety to their own homes.The crew of the ship were winched to safety by a rescue helicopter.As the gunman opened fire, they all ran/dived for safety behind trees.You wouldn't get me on skis - I prefer to watch on TV from the safety of my own armchair.Many people are worried about the safety of the nuclear industry (= think it might be dangerous).Police are concerned for the safety of (= think that something bad might have happened to) a five-year-old who disappeared while playing in a wood near his home.The boy led the escaped prisoner to a place of safety (= somewhere he would not be in danger, esp. of being found).Safety can be used to describe something which protects a person or thing from a particular danger.safety checks/measuresa safety devicea safety harnessa safety helmetAmong the safety features of this car are anti-lock brakes and airbags.Safety regulations stipulate that the machine should be covered while it is in operation.A safety belt is a seat belt.See at seat (FURNITURE).A safety catch is a special part on something dangerous, esp. a machine or a gun, which prevents people from using it unintentionally.In a theatre, the safety curtain is a curtain made of material which will not burn and which comes down between the stage and the part where people sit to prevent any fire that might happen from spreading.A safety deposit box is a safe deposit box.See at safe (BOX).Safety-first means not showing a willingness to take risks.A safety-first attitude is best when it comes to driving.Safety glass is a type of glass, used esp. for car windows, that either stays in one piece in an accident, or breaks into small pieces which are not sharp.Safety glasses are special pieces of strong glass or plastic in a frame which fits tightly to a person's face to protect their eyes from dangerous chemicals or machines.A safety lamp (also Davy lamp) is a light used in a mine which can show if there is dangerous gas in a place, without any risk of causing the gas to explode.A safety match is a match that will only start burning if you rub it along a special surface on its box.A safety net is put below people performing at a great height to catch them and stop them from getting hurt if they fall.There was a safety net below the acrobats at the circus.(figurative) No one dies of hunger there because the government provides a safety net (= help for people in a difficult situation) of payments to the unemployed.A safety pin is a pin which has a round end into which the sharp point fits so that it is covered and cannot therefore stick into you. It is used for fastening things, esp. cloth.See picture: Pins and needlesA safety razor is a device for cutting hair on the face which has a blade that is partly covered, to prevent it from cutting the skin.A safety valve is a small part on a machine or device which allows steam or gas to escape if the pressure inside becomes too high.(figurative) For many people who suffer from stress at work, sport is a safety valve (= way of getting rid of strong feelings without hurting other people).(saying) 'There's safety in numbers' means that we will be or feel safer or more confident as a group.